they be inuincible and if any prosperitie come vnto them thei ascribe it wholly to the goodnes and bountifulnes of god And so it cummeth to passe that neyther they be discouraged in aduersitie nor insolente or proude in prosperitie And whan Iesus had heard that Iohn was taken he wente aparte into Galile and left Nazareth and wente and dwelte in Capernaum which is a cytie vpon the sea coast in the borders of Zabulon and Neptalim that it myght be fulfilled whiche was spoken by Esai the prophete saiyng The lande of Zabulon and Neptalim by the way of the sea beyond Iordayne Galile of the Gentyles The people whiche sate in darkenes and in the shadow of deathe sawe great lyght and to them whiche sate in the region and shadowe of deathe the lyght is sprong vp Therfore whan Christe began to be of auctoritie and estimacion chiefly after that Iohn had in manier deliuered hym and commended hym to his disciples poynctyng with his fynger and saiyng Beholde the lambe of god behold him that taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde and after that he hadde ouercum the deuil and was fully inspired with the holy gost nothing nowe remayned but to take a tyme and place to begynne and enter his preachyng Iohn had wrought no miracle being content only to preache penauÌ„ce Christ kepte silence so long as he preached leste any discorde myght ryse emong theyr discyples beyng yet rude carnal geuen to worldly affeccions Surely it is the parte of a good teacher to conforme hymselfe to the capacitie of hys audience But than and not afore entrethe he the office of teachynge whan the rumoure was blowen abrode that Iohn was caste into prison of Herode the Tetrarche enioying the rewarde that they be wont to haue which dare boldly speake before the Princes of this world wil rather speake holsum thinges than pleasaunt For he tolde the Tetrarche of his vnlawfull mariage because he maryed his brother Philippes wyfe And sumtyme euill princes desyre to haue in housholde with them men of greate and notable honestie not that they woulde obeye the counsell of suche but because they maâ—e seme to the ignoraunte people to dooe by theyr aduise and counsell whatsoeuer they dooe after theyr owne lust appetite And in other thynges of lyght importaunce he had oftentymes ben obedient to his monicions but here where he oughte moste to haue been obedient at the foule request of a filthie daunling damsel and at the desyre of her filthye mother he had cast that very good man into pryson and afterward with the cruell deathe of suche a greate man he defyled the feaste of hys Natiuitie and the iyes of hys nobles Iesus therfore whan he hearde of this not because he was in feare hymselfe but to teache his not wyllingly to put themselues in daunger yf they maye conuenientlye auoyde it but whan it cummeth stoutely to neglecte it leauyng Nazareth wente a syde into Galile of the Gentyles in the whiche Salomon gaue vnto Hira kyng of the Tyrians .xxv. cytyes and went into the citie of Capernaum therfore taken to be borderyng vpon the sea because it is nere the standyng water of Genezareth in the coastes of zabulon and Neptalim whiche were two trybes and in the fyrste is Galile in the seconde is that that is called Galile of the Gentiles whereby Christe than as by a figure in manier thretned that whan the Iewes dyd refuse and persecute the preachers of the gospell than the gospel should be brought vnto the Gentyles And leste that a man myght thynke that thys thyng was doen by chaunce Esai beyng inspyred with the spirite of prophecie prophecied long before that it should so be saiyng in the land of zabulon and the land of Neptalim whiche bordereth vpon the sea in Galile of the Gentyles the people whiche heretofore dwelled in darkenes hath seen a great and a merueylouse light and vnto them which heretofore were in a thicke darkenesse suche as is in hel lyghte is sprong vp Therfore as coÌ„cernyng the tyme where Iohn left there Christ beginneth For at the clere lyght of the gospel the shadowes of Moyses lawe do vanishe awaye And thys is spoken directely concernyng the misticall figures of the lawe and to expresse the trueth of the gospell But as touchyng the place at the fyrst affliccion and trouble of the holy preacher the name of the Gentyles is goen vnto and the lyghte whiche the Iewes blynded wyth filthye desyres coulde not suffer is as it were in a picture declared to passe ouer from them to the Gentyles beeyng very Idolaters but after suche sorte that the coastes of neyther is forsaken so that of both sydes the trumpe of the voyce of the gospell maye be hearde And yet furthermore that countrey was no vnprofitable auditorie by reason of the commoditie of hauens and certen notable cities standyng vpon the sea syde which by the reason of the course of marchaundise wer frequented and vsed also of farre cummers out of other straunge countreyes ¶ From that tyme Iesus began to preache and saye Repent for the kyngdome of heauen is at hande Nowe let vs heare the begynnyng of his preachyng As he succeded after Iohn so he begynneth with his doctrine whiche was wel knowen and familiar lest he shoulde haue driuen them awaye from him which had Iohn nowe in so greate venecacyon And he fedeth the weake with mylke that afterwarde he might bryng foorth strong meate to them whan they wer of more strength And truely this is â—horder of teachers which desire rather to profite the heares than to set foorth and magnifie themselues before other The preachyng of Christe is not onely more milde and gentle than Iohn his preaching for he maketh no mencion neither of axe nor of fanne nor of fyer that neuer shal be quenched but also more â—o be commended for many benefites bestowed vpon all men indyfferently Iesus therfore folowyng Iohn crieth and sayeth ChauÌ„ge your myndes and repent your former lyfe For nowe the kyngdome of heauen is at hand the whiche as it shall be shut vnto no man so it shall be open onely vnto them that be pure cleane and seke after heauenly thynges and cut away al worldly desyres What can be more playne and symple than this Philosophy Lette euery man be displeased and grieued with his owne naughtynes and heauenly thynges be redy for hym at hand and that frely As Iesus walked by the sea of Galile he sawe two brethren â–ª Simon whiche was called Peter and Andrewe his brother castyng a nette into the sea for they wer fyshers and he sayeth vnto them Folowe me and I wyl make you fyshers of men And they straight way lefte theyâ— nettes and folowed hym And nowe the tyme was come that Iesus shoulde gather together a companie of disciples whiche should be famyliar witnesses of all his doynges and saiynges and by whome he myghte teache other afterwarde But marke what manier of
there came into the place where they feasted a young damsell daughter vnto Herodias and Philippe to make the geastes myrth and pastime with her vncumly and waÌ„ten dauncing And the more vngoodly she daunced the more she delited the geastes and the kyng specially who was now twise mad because besydes that he was in amours with the vnchaste womanne Herodias he was also distempred and set in a furye with wyne Wherfore he sayed vnto the damsell ryghte magnifycentlye as became a kyng Aske of me whatsoeuer thou wylt thou shalte haue no denyall therof And to make her the bolder to desyre what she woulde he bounde his dronken promyse with an othe Whatsoeuer sayeth he thou shalte desyre of me though it be th one halfe of my realme I wyll geue it the. Oh fonde and folyshe saing worthy to cum oute of so folishe and droÌ„ken a kynges mouthe But the young damsell as she began to playe this parte at the prouocacion and setting on of her mother whiche diligently awayted the daye place and howre and trymmed her daughter of purpose to daunce so durste she not by and by tell the kyng what she woulde demaunde but departed out of the feasting chaumber and asked her mother counsayle saying The kyng my father in lawe hath bound it with an othe that he wyll geue me whatsoeuer I wyll desyre of hym What shall I therfore aske Here was vndoubtedlye a iuste occasion to doubte and take good deliberacion leste so great an oportunitie should haue been loste But the vnchaste woman her mother vnto whome nothyng was so deare as the death of the moste holye and innocent man without further deliberacioÌ„ takyng answered Desyre of him Iohn Baptistes heade Oh wicked daughter soone taught ready to obey for a mischiefe She returned strayghtwayes into the kynges priuie chamber for her mother priuily aduertised her to make haste and speake with Herode before that great heate of his Princely courage were cooled againe And then went she vnto the kynges presence and desyred a rewarde for her wanton and lasciuious dauncyng saying I desyre but one messe alonely I wyll thou geue me withoute farther delaye Iohn Baptistes heade in a charger Here marke me well the aukewarde conscience of the wicked kyng Where as there is nothyng that suche kynges are oftener wont to do then to breake all bondes of leages couenauntes and religion yet here he thinketh hymselfe bound in conscience which was a thyng agaynst all conscience to performe his moste foolyshe othe especiallye syth it was made in the audyence of so many witnesses Wherfore leste menne would haue thought hym to haue been a manne of no credence yf he had refused to perfourme what he promised by an othe to do swearyng perchaunce eyther by his diademe the spirite which had the gouernaunce of his body or the heade of the damsel that daunced before hym or els leste he shoulde haue seemee vncurteous and voyde of all good maners yf he had eyther let the mayde departe from hym all heauy and sad or with some cloude of heauinesse abated the myrthe and solace of the gestes whom she had pleased with her pastyme O worshypfull fayth and conscience O good maner curtesie worthye to be put in Chronicles leste I saye these thynges should haue chaunced the hangman was forthwith sente out and the holy head of the moste innocente person broughte vnto the kyng as it had been a messe of meate in a charger The kyng toke it vnto the damsell and she to her mother vnto whom it was a derer present then th one halfe of Herodes kyngdome With this deadly syght this folyshe dotyng and mad kyng dyd gratify the vnchaste woman and celebrate or worshyp his naâ—iue daye The kyng caused hym to be slayne the hangman brought the head to the kyng the damsell obtained it and in conclusion the same deadly rewarde was geuen to her mother the worker and well of all this mischiefe Oh worthy geastes all this while and mete for suche a feaste maker There was none of them al so frendely to the king that would go about to let hym to do this mischieuous dede And shall we hereafter maruaile yf kynges other whiles be not a fearde to commit outragious enormities yf they be of disposicion lyke vnto Herode that is to saye enflamed with vnchaste loue and geuen to riot and sensualitie and ouer this haue suche dayly companions as be eyther fearfull persons or els fauourers of theyr crueltie When the bruite of this haynouse dede was cum to the eares of Iohns disciples they toke awaye the carkas and buried it honorablye Howbeit in these thynges lyeth hyd some mystery and secret meanyng Iohn although he bare the figure of the lawe and sygnified the same yet in as muche as he was a forecurrour of the Gospell he was rewarded with the rewarde therof that is with a glorious death but yet farre diuerse from the death of Christe For Iohns head was priuily striken of after he hadde layne a whyle fast gyued in pryson Christ was openly lyfted vp vpon the crosse The darkenes of the prison agreeth well with the shadowes and fygures of the lawe It was mete they shoulde geue place vnto the lyght of the gospell whiche beganne to appeare and shyne abrode It was conueniente that carnall ceremonies shoulde be diminished to the entent that spirituall freedome should be encreased And it was lykewyse nedeful that all whiche proceded of feare should be bounde because the fayth and charitie of the gospell should the farther be spred abrode and extended Finally it was mete that mannes heade shoulde be striken of least the churche shoulde acknowledge any other head saue alonely Iesus And so the lawe beyng in a maner slayne and honourably buried gaue place vnto the Lorde Iesu when he began to preache his spirituall philosophie and doctrine For in that we do beleue the ghospell we are muche bounden vnto the olde Testament whiche so many yeares agoe drewe out Iesus Christ vnto vs with shadowes and figures and promysed and described him with the prophecies and darke sayinges of the Prophetes ¶ And the Apostles gathered themselues together vnto Iesus and told hym all thynges bothe what they had done and what they had taught And he sayde vnto them cuÌ„ ye alone out of the waye into the wyldernesse and rest a while For there were manye cummers and goetâ— and they had no leysure so muche as to eate And he went by ship out of the waye into a desert place and the people spied them when they departed and many knewe him and ranne a foote thither out of all cities and came thitheâ— before them and came together vnto hym And Iesus went out and sawe muche people and had compassion on them because they were like shepe not hauyng a shepeherde and he began to teache them many things Whiles these thinges were done the Apostles after they had finished their message drewe themselfes together and
and glory we had bene bondeseruauntes to the carnall luste of concupiscence to couetise and vnto the deiuill Therefore we muste now truly serue our said captayne not as oure forefathers dyd with idle solemnisyng of holye daies not with supersticion of honouryng the fyrst daye of euery newe moone not with absteinyng from one meate more theÌ„ from an other not with killing of beastes in sacrifice which thinges haue nothing but an outward semblauÌ„ce and shewe of holinesse in the syghte of men but with purenesse of conscience and with perfeict clennesse of lyfe whiche is the seruice most acceptable in the syght of God who hath no regard vnto carnal oblacions but vnto the godly deuocion of the herte as one that louethe to haue sacrifyce dooen vnto hym of his own gyftes Neither must this seruyng of God be shewed or doen at these or that daies by our owne ordeinaunce therunto prefixed or appointed as hitherto customably hath been vsed but continually all our lyfe throughe out For at no tyme shoulde there bee any ceassyng or slackyng from dooyng suche sacrifice as this but loue and zele to god warde beeyng on s freelye geuen vs ought with holy conuersacion and with deuoute appliyng of our selues from tyme to tyme to be styll more and more encreased ¶ And thou childe shalt bee called the Prophete of the highest for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lorde to prepayre his waies to geue knowelage of saluacioÌ„ vnto his people for the remission of synnes through the tendre mercy of oure God whereby the daie spryng from an high hath visited vs to geue light to them that sate in darkenesse and in the shadow of death to guide out fere into the waye of peace Happy therefore by the free goodnesse of God and blessed are we to whome according to the saiynges of the Prophetes is nowe thus geuen a mighty redemer and a salueoure whome no power maye vanquishe or withstand But by the free goodnesse of the same God happye and blissed arte thou also o my litle babe whiche arte thus specially chosen and appoynted to be the foregoer and messagier of so great a captayne For lyke as the day sterre goeth before the arisyng of the sunne causing men to awake that lye sluggyng in slepe and to loke for the clere day lyght whiche draweth nere euen so the comming of the lorde beyng nowe at hande who hathe fullye decreed and entended by his onely sonne to come and visite this presente worlde which we are in thou shalte goe afore hym to prepaire mens hertes to the receiuyng of such a greate saluacion lest if the same comming of the Lord should fynde the hertes of men slouthfully singgyng vtterly vntowarde the helth that is nowe offred might percase bee turned into a manyfolde castyng away and perishing of the soule For truely by thy baptisyng by thy preaching thou shalt bryng to passe that men shal wel perceyue themselfes to be synners that they shall know themselfes to haue neede of a Phisician and that they shall knowe hym to be now present here who alone will through the fayth of the ghospell bounteously geue vnto al persones euerlasting health and saluacion freelye remittyng and pardonyng our synnes which cause the death of the soule and frely conferring and geuing his righteousnes vnto vs. And vnto all true beleuers shall this same come not by any possible merites of meÌ„ but for thexceading great mercie of the Lorde our God who woulde not haue theÌ„ to perishe whoÌ„ he had created Of the almyghty were we created and by the moste merciful are we restored We had vtterly bene loste onlesse he accordyng to the goodnesse that of his propre nature is rooted in him had extended his mercie vnto vs onles he in manier of the bright sunne arysyng to vs from heauen had on euery syde dryuen awaye the darkenesse of our ignoraunce onlesse he had put away the dimme miste of synne and had enkiendled our colde hertes with the feruente burnyng fyre of his dere loue and charitie We wer liyng in darkenes and hadde no power to lift vp our iyes towardes him he huÌ„bled himselfe doune to vs and by sending doune his bright shining beames vpon our hertes he gaue clere and healthful light vnto vs where as we afore sate in the derkenesse of sinne and in despaire of any recouery as in the blacke shadowe of death we were vtterlye blynded with manyfold idolatries al derkened ouer and ouer with worldly desires we ranne from wickednes to wickednes groping in most foggie mistines enbracing earthly thinges in stede of heauenly the shadowes of thinges in stede of the thynges selfes thynges carnall in stede of ghostely thinges pestiferous and full of poyson in stede of holsome And loe in the botomelesse nyght of dispayre is nowe arisen vp vnto vs that same euerlasting sunne to direct and to set the fete of oure hertes into the waye of the ghospell whiche is the waye of peace that throughe faythe and charitye maketh a perfecte agreemente and vnitye betwene god and man breakyng the stryfe and enmitie that was afore betwene them knittyng all nacions of the world together in the profession of one name and of one fayth and finally in such wise qualifiyng and appeasing all the troubleous affeccions of the mynde that euery man may be at a perfect staigh of quietnes and of attonemente within hymselfe And the chyld grewe and waxed strong in spirite and was in wyldernes tyll the daye came whan he shoulde shewe hymselfe vnto the Israelâ—â—es These thynges did this godly olde man pronounce out of his propheticall breste and folowing the exaumple of the olde auncient prophetes dyd in such a playn sort declare and sette forth the same thinges before thei came as though all together had been euen at that â—eray presente houre alreadye dooen And with these so woonderfull begynnynges of the matter the procedinges of the same dyd in moste beste wyse agree For the chylde Iohn whiche had bene after a woonderful straunge manier borne like as he grew in body according to the rate of his yeres euen so did he through the inspiracion of God from time to time prosper stil better and better in stedfastnes and strength of the spirit Neither did he any loÌ„g time kepe himself at home with his father and mother in theyr house but euen byanby froÌ„ his childhood withdrewe hymself away from the common haunte of people to the entente that he myghte not take soe much as the least spotte of fylthinesse that maye bee by coumpaigniyng with the multitude forasmuch as he had bene sanctified in his mothers wombe He neuer dronke wyne nor any other strong drynke wherby to be distempered he neuer tasted of any worldly pleasure he neuer tasted of any worldly honour All worldly desyres and carnal appetites he passed not vpon but vtterly reufsed them and liued emong the saluage beastes with locustes and wild honey his wede and clothyng
But all those came of Goddes liberalitie and not of his owne nature that was geuen hym at the firste yet he was chosen and sente of God for this purpose that accordyng to the prophecie that was prophecied of hym before he myght beare witnes of that godly lyght whiche being couered with his manhed was conuersaunt in the worlde not as who say that he whiche was God and so declared before by the voice of the father shoulde nede mannes witnes but to thintent he might by all manier of meanes cause hymselfe to bee had in credit with the people he woulde that Iohn shoulde bee the goer before the lyghte as the day sterre appearing before sheweth the rysyng of the sunne to the woorlde And also that by his preachyng he shoulde prepare mennes mindes to receyue that lyght whiche shoulde immediatly come after And because synne is the lâ—t wherby the heauenly lyght is not admitted and receyued Iohn dyd allure and call all people to penaunce proclaming openly that the kyngdome of heauen was at hande for the firste degree or step to the lyghte is that men shoulde hate their owne darkenes And this Iohn was of so great auctoritie emonge the Iewes for the excellente holines of his liuinge that many toke him for Christe himselfe whereby Christ would the rather bee coÌ„mended to the Iewes by his witnes as that time required to thintente that litle by litle as men do commonly vse he might crepe into the mindes of the people for otherwise the meaner person is alwaye wount to bee commended by the witnes of the greater And Esay had promised that at Christes cuâ—ming there shoulde a certaine excellente lighte arise and springe vp to theym whiche did liue in darkenes and in the shadowe of deathe and for that cause before that Christe was notable by his miracles many suspected Iohn to haue been the light whiche was promised of the Prophete But Iohn was onelye the publisher before of the true lighte and not the light it selfe Therefore Christe as the oportunitie of that time serued did as ye woulde saye abuse both the errour of the Iewes and the auctoritie of Iohn to prepare the mindes of all men to the faithe of the gospell Truely Iohn was a certaine light that is to saye a burninge candle and geuinge lighte feruently burninge in godlines and geuing light by holynes of life neuertheles he was nor the lighte whiche should bring life to the whole worlde but the woord of God whereof wee doe speake at this presente was that true light euer proceding from God the father the fountaine of all light from whence what soeuer is lightsome in heauen and earth boroweth his lighte what sparke of witte what knowlage of trueth what light of faith soeuer there be either emong men or Angels all the same cummeth from this fountaine ¶ That lyght was the true light which lighteth euery man that cummeth into the world As this worlde is blind without the sunne so all thinges are darke without this light The worlde also was full of darkenes on euery syde because sinne and abhominable errours did reigne in euery place And in the tyme of this darkenes there did often tymes shine foorth men excellent in holynes of lyfe as a lytell sterre in the moste darkest nightes and gaue some lyght as it were thorow a cloud howbeit they dyd it but to the Iewes only or to the borderers of Iewry but this true light geueth lyght not onely to one nacion but to all men that come into the darkenes of this worlde The Iewes went about to challenge this lyght seuerally to themselues because they thought it to be promised to theim onely for asmuche as touchyng the fleshe it dyd spring of theim and emonge theim but that light came to geue lyght to the hertes of all nacions of the whole world thorow the faith of the gospel Neither Scithian Iewe Spaniard Gothian Englisheman kynges nor bondmen be excluded from this lyght The lyght came to geue light to al men asmuche as lay in it but if any continue in their darkenes the faute is not in the lyght but in hym that frowardely loueth darkenes and abhorreth the lyght For the lyght shineth to al meÌ„ because none might pretend any excuse when willingly wittingly he perisheth thorow his owne faute As if a man shoulde get a knocke at noone daies because he woulde not lyfte vp his iyes ¶ He was in the world and the world was made by hym and the world 〈◊〉 hym not This woord of God was alwaies in the worlde not as who say that he whiche is without measure can bee contayned in any circuite of place but he was so in the world as the deuise of the workeman is in his woorke and as the ruler is in that thing he ruleth Also at that tyme this lyght dyd shine in the worlde sumwhat opening the godly power wisedom and goodnes therof by these thinges which were wunderfully creat by it and by this meanes it did then after a sorte speake to mankinde But many putting their felicitie in the visible thinges of this worlde whome for that cause of good righte our lorde Iesus did accustome to cal by the name of the worlde when he taughte them eternall thinges they beinge blinded with earthly affeccions did not acknowleage their maker The darkenes of mindes was so greate that the worlde knewe not the maker thereof but did wurship serpentes oxen goates lekes oynions yea that whiche is more vile then all these stockes stones dispising him of whome they had receiued both that themselfes were and all that they had ¶ He came emong his owne and his owne receiued him not They being accustomed to darkenes did abhorre the light and being blinded with sinne did enbrace deathe in stede of life yea and whan he did shewe himselfe more familiarly to the worlde being conuersaunt liuing in his manhed emonges men he was not knowen of them whiche had dedicate themselfes wholy to this worlde Neither is it any meruail though the gentiles beeynge woorshippers of ydols measuring all thinges by the commodities of this life being also ignorant of the prophetes and the lawe did not acknowleage him whiles he liued here in the shape of a man This is more to be meruayled at â–ª that when he came specially to his owne people to whome Messias had ben promised by so many prophecies of the prophetes to whom he had bene shadowed with so many figures of whom he had ben loked for so many hundreth yeares before which saw him do miracles heard his teaching yet they wer so far from receiuing of him that with fierce mindes they wente about his destruccion whiche came specially to saue them And procured that innocentes death who frely brought life to his enemies They sawe did not see heard and did not heare hauing intelligence did not vnderstand whiche thorow a froward study of the lawe did rise against him whom the
your almesse and the almesse of the phariseis and betwene your prayers their prayers Now harken what difference ought to be betwene youre fastes and theyrs if ye will haue them acceptable to the father and profitable to your selues It is not the forbearing of the meate that commendeth fastyng vnto god but the pure and cleane affeccion of the minde feruently desiring to please god onely Wherefore as often as godlynes shal prouoke you to fast folow not certeine menne whiche be not fasters but counterfeyters of fasting setting foorthe the colour and cloke of fasting with a sower countenaunce not intending that in dede wherefore fasting shoulde be vsed that is to say eyther to pacyfie god or to chastice the body wherby the minde might be the more free and redy to apply and ensue holy thinges but by this coulour they hunt for vaine prayse of men for whose sake despising god they play this pagent For to this purpose they disfigure theyr faces with palenes and sowernes that by the behauiour of their body menne may see that they doe fast This is certayne There is no cause why they should looke after any rewarde of God for these good dedes For now they haue their rewarde attayning that which they hunted for with theyr fasting But so often as thou doest fast appeare rather not to faste and appeare to be mery annointing thy head and washing thy face leste men perceiue that thou doest fast And thinke not that fast to be vnprofitable whiche is hid from men It suffiseth to thee that thy father seeth it from whome nothing is hid And he that seeth in secrete in the stede of vaine praise of meÌ„ wil rewarde thee with the perfect rewarde Againe I say not this that it should be wicked that men shoulde know of thy fasting but that thy minde shoulde abhorre from the desire of vayne praise Than no man seeth thy fasting when thou doest fast not to thintent to be scene of any man Than onely god doth see thy fasting when thou dost fast with this entent that thou wouldest as gladly fast though no man should see thee when thou doest faste ¶ Lay not vp for your selues treasures vpon yearthe where the rust and mothe doeth corrupte and where theues breake through and steale But lay vp youre treasures in heauen where neither rust nor mothe doeth corrupte and where theues doe not breake through nor steale For where your treasure is there wil your hearte be also The common sorte of men not considering these thinges whiles they hunt for smal and visible rewardes of men be disapoincted of the inuisible and true rewarde which for wel doing God doeth geue aboundauntly In liâ—â— ease be they whiche with much thought and care doe gather together and heape vp riches and hide them in the ground for losing albeit this is euen to lose them in dede He that dealeth and bestoweth his riches rightly it is he that layeth them vp surely For that that thou hidest in the grounde is not profitable vnto thee but is in daungier of mothes rust theues so that thou hast nothing of them but a miserable carefulnes to get them to kepe them These thinges must be gotten neither carefully nor vnmeasurably And when they be gotten or come by chaunce they must be redily distributed if any haue nede or els so bestowed that necessitie of nature may be holpen and not ryot maynteyned nor any disease of the minde be serued and satisfied And yet all menne for the moste parte vnto this thing apply theyr whole studie and care as though pouertie made men miserable and ryches indued them with felicitie And whyles they folow after these false goodes which will shortely forsake theyr maisters they forake the eternall goodes whiche indue them with true felicitie and can not be taken away But ye of the other side hasting with all endeuour to the best and most perfect thynges whereby ye shall be riche in dede lay vp your treasures in heauen the keping of the whiche can not trouble you with cumberous carefulnes For neyther ruste nor mothe dooeth destroy suche maner of riches nor theues doeth not digge it vp nor steale it of whiche chaunces worldely goodes be in daunger If ye lay vp these goodes with your father he will kepe them safely for you and your minde shall not sticke grouelyng on the grounde beeyng oppressed with these filthy cares but it shall despise these vile and fading thinges and be rauished vp vnto heauenly thynges for where as a mannes treasour is which he loueth entierely there is his harte also Therfore they haue no high nor heauenly thought which hath gathered riches and hid theÌ„ in the ground They walke and wander hither and thither but their harte is in the hole where the money is hid And if the minde be corrupt either by the disease of vayne glory or auarice whatsoeuer is done must nedes be vicyouse The light of the body is the 〈◊〉 Wherefore if thine â—ye be single all thy body shal be ful of light But if thine iye be nâ—ught all thy body shal be full of darkenes Wherefore yf the light that is in thee be darkenes how great is the darkenes For first it is to be considered what is chiefely to be desired and whereby we may obteine that which we doe aske furthermore as the candel is in the house as the iye is in the body so is the minde in man If the light of the minde bee not faultie through the darkenes of false opinions and yll desires if the iye of the minde deeth looke none other way than to the true marke whatsoeuer is done throughout all the life is acceptable vnto God and euery thing helpeth towardes the heape of felicitie Like as if there be a great candel in the house there is no stumbling nor falling so if thine iye be cleare and whole it geueth sight to al the membres and no parte stumbleth or wandreth the iye being the captaine and guide Againe if the iye of the body be faultie no membre doeth his duetie well For there is no right iudgement whan that parte of oures is faultie by the which only we do iudge Therfore if that part of thee which is geuen thee for light be turned into darkenes how great shal the darkenes of the other partes be whiche haue no lighte of themselues If reason be blynded with desires and iudgeth that to be good which is miserable â–ª iudgeth that chieâ—â—â—â—â— bee desyred which is to be despised or not to be regarded into what darkenes shal men be drawen through ambicion filthy luste auarice folishenes angre enuy hatred and other perturbacions and troubles of the minde whiche of theyr owne nature be full of darkenes Therefore let youre iye bee cleane and sincere that it may beholde the beste and let it beholde and looke vpon the best thinges either onely or chiefely No manne can serue two maisters For either he shall hate the one and loue
people mocked him and reuyled him he gaue health vnto others nowe he cannot preserue himselfe If he be the king of Israel as he woulde appere let him declare now what he can doe let him come downe from the crosse and we will beleue hym He trusted in god whome he craked to be hys father if he loue him let him nowe deliuer hym And that of euery side the most innocente Iesus mighte be arayed with reuylynges the theues also felowes with hym in punishmente in lyke manner rebuked hym The whiche all Iesus suffered with stiffe and strong pacience to bring to passe and offer for all meÌ„ that healthfull sacrifice He kepte still the diuine power and sette furthe the whole nature humane to al maner of paynes and tormentes And he did not requited or reuenge so cruell reuylyng bestowed vpon hym as he was dying beeyng more bitter then the crosse it selfe insomuche that he prayed vnto hys father for the souldyers and the Iewes that skorned hym and one of the theues repentyng himselfe he receyued into his paradise From the sixt houâ—e was there darkenes ouer all the lande vntill the .ix. houre And aboute the .ix. houre Iesus cryed with a loude voyce saying Hely Hely Lamazabathanye that is to saye my god my god why haste thou forsaken me Some of them that stoode there when they hearde that sayde This man calleth for Helias â–ª And furthwith one of them ranne and toke a sponge and whan he had filled it full of vyneâ—ce he put it on a reede and gaue it hym to drinke But other sayde let be let us see whether Helias will come and delyuer hym Iesus when he had cryed agayne with a loude voyce yelded vp the ghost The very Sonne felte the punyshment of the innocente and coulde not abyde to beholde so wycked a dede He couered hys face with a blacke cloude and all that countreye was couered with darkenesse from syxe of the clocke vntyll nyne And yet in the meane season the darkenesse of the Iewes hartes coulde not bee shaken of Further aboute nyne of the clocke Iesus cryed with a greate voyce saying thys sentence oute of the psalme Hely Hely Lamazabathany my God my God why haste thou forsaken me And certayne that stode by and hearyng afarre of Hely and supposyng that he had called to Hely for helpe sayde Thys felowe calleth for Hely Let vs see whether he wyll helpe hym Than Iesus to shewe that it was a true deathe whiche he suffered for all menne cryed I am athirste For thys is wonte to folowe vpon woundes and sheding of bloude whiche oftentymes is a punyshemente more sore and paynfull than death And one runnyng to hym put vnto his mouth as he hanged a sponge full of vineger putte vpon the toppe of a reede Iesus thirsted sore for the health of menne but the Iewes offered hym nothyng but vinegar and gall Therefore he dyd forbeare from it when he had tasted saying It is consummate and fynyshed sygnyfying that nothyng was omytted whiche did pertayne to the manner of the sacrifyce And anone to declare that he lefte his life of hys owne accorde after that he had commended hys spyryte vnto the father he cryed with a loude voyce and bowing down his head died And beholde the vayle of the temple did rente in two partes from the top to the bottom and the earthe quaked the stones dyd rente and graues dyd open and manye bodyes of saynctes whiche slepte arose and went oute of the graues after hys resurreccyon and came into the holy citie and appered to many Whan the Ceâ—â—â—urion and they that were with him watching Iesus saw the earthquake and those thinges whiche happened they feared greatly saying Truely thys was the sonne of god And furthwith all thinges dyd testifye the effectuall death of the lorde Iesus For the vayle of the temple whiche deuyded the holye place from the other parte of the temple of his owne accorde was cut in two partes declaring that the shadowes of Moyses lawe hereafter shoulde vanyshe awaye at the bryght light of the ghospell Furthermore the earth did quake and the stones brake a sunder reprouing the Iewes for theyr inuyncyble hardnes of hearte The graues did open and many bodyes of holy menne whiche were dead did reuyue and liue agayne and goyng out of the graues after the resurreccyon of Christe came into the holye citie of Ierusalem and appered vnto many beeyng the preachers and folowers of the resurreccyon of Iesus Furthermore the Captayne and hys seruauntes whiche were there to keepe Iesus perceyuing the earthquake the darkenesse the breakyng of the stones and other wonders were greatly afeard saying Truely this was the sonne of god ¶ And many women were there beholdyng a farre of whiche folowed Iesus from Galile mynystryng vnto hym among whiche was Marie Magdalene and Marie the mother of Iames and Ioses and the mother of the chyldren of Zebedee When the euen was come there came a riche man of Aramathia named Ioseph whiche also was Iesus disciple He wente vnto Pylate and begged the holy bodye of Iesus Than Pylate commaunded the body to be deliuered And whan Ioseph had taken the body he wrapped it in a cleane clothe and put it in his new toumbe whiche he had hewen out of the rocke and rolled a great stone to the doore of the sepulchre and departed And there was Marie Magdalene and the other Marie sitting ouer againste the Sepulchre There were also many women lookyng a farre of vpon the thynges that were doen whiche had folowed Iesus from Galile minystryng vnto hym necessaries among whome there was Marie Magdalene and Marie the mother of Iacob and Ioseph and also the mother of the sonnes of zebedee and diuers other with them And when the nyghte drewe nere a certayne ryche Captayne of Aramathia called Ioseph who also was the dyscyple of Iesus wente vnto the presidente askyng of hym the body of Iesus Pylate marueyling if that he were dead a man of lustie age and not hauyng hys legges broken as soone as he knew certaynely of the captayne that he was dead he commaunded the body to be geuen vnto him He receyued it and wrapped it in a cleane shete and layde it in a newe graue the whiche he had grauen in an whole stone And rollyng a greate stone to the doore of the graue he departed away And thys was done by the prouidence of God that they shoulde vse no crueltie vpon the dead karcas or that no man shoulde dygge vp the graue and steale hym awaye And when the other were departed Marie Magdalene and an other woman contynued there syttyng ouer against the sepulchre and markyng the place where they layde the body that at conuenient time they myght doe the dutie of annoynting to it and the lorde had styrred vp theyr great dilygence to this intente that the beliefe of his resurreccion might be more certayne ¶ The nexte daye that foloweth the Parasceue â–ª the hyghe priestes and Pharisâ—is came
the acte of him who went about to wryng out of the man a notable faythe for the ensample of other and his pleasure was to teache all men by this blinde man howe by what meanes light maie be extorted or gotten perforce of Iesu. The fyrst hope to obtaine light is to haue Iesus to stand still at our crying The secoÌ„de to be called vnto him eyther by the teachers of the ghospell or els by the secrete inspiracions of the holy ghost For the blynde man could not go vnto hym vnlesse he had bene led and guided by holy scripture which we ought in no wise to despise although it be ministred by maÌ„ The Apostles and preachers of the ghospell do happily call a blynde maÌ„ when they call him at the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of Iesu. But nowe adayes they call without his coÌ„maundement not vnto him but to the aydes of humaine Philosophie or Heathen learning to thobseruacion of Moises law to the coÌ„modities pleasures of this preseÌ„t lyfe Assuredly these â—allers make the blinde more blinde then he was before But the Apostles obeyng their maisters coÌ„maundement called this man vnto Iesus and so true is it that they dyd not crie brable against him as the people did that they put him hauing good hope already in more hope and comforte saying Be of good chere aryse Iesus calleth thee The blinde man conceyued so great hope herewith that he cast awaye his cloke whiche defended hym againste the cold weather and skypped out of the place where he sate and ranne to Iesus Here will I staye the a lytle while good reader because thou mayest marke the greate readinesse of mynde and feruent courage of this blynde begger Howe ofte arte thou called vnto Iesus doest neither caste awaye thy cloke or maÌ„tell nor skyp out of thy deÌ„ne of misery nor run vnto hym the calleth thee but tournest thy backe but lingrest from day to day but castest doubtes but â—â—dest cauillacions and fayned excuses but waxest luskyshe in thy fylthe and darkenesse haddest rather aske an almes of the worlde in a foule beggerly cloke then receiue light of Iesus wherein is conteyned the summe of all felicitie What a goodly and faire vesture is the garment of innocencie and cleane lyfe What a foule mantell hath he that is clothed with lechery with couetousnesse with excesse and ambicioÌ„ Howe vile and wretched a begger is he whoe for a small and corporall commoditie croucheth and kneleth vnto this world Howe miserablye blynde is he that neyther knoweth himselfe nor almightye God his maker As ofte as thou arte called from this miserable wretchednesse vnto Iesus either when thou readest the ghospell or hearest thesame preached or els whan thou art drawen by a certaine secrete inspiracion of the holy ghoste why doeste thou not then all thynges layde aparte that are wonte to let and hinder a man to attaine so great felicitie leape vp vnto the hope of a better life Why runnest thou not with moste sure faythe vnto Iesus whiche onely is able to geue the light and will geue it to all men Iesus cometh vnto the he calleth the and doest thou again for thy part grutche to mete hym Thou pynest and wyddrest away euen tyll thy dying day in thy darkenesse but thou shalt not euer haue Iesus passing by the. Certes after death he calleth no manne to saluacion but to iudgement When he passeth by here in this worlde he heareth him that cryeth haue mercy vpon me here he standeth still here he calleth here he giueth light This begger hath made the ashamed of thy slouthfulnesse vnto whom the Lord when he was cuÌ„men vnto him sayd What ayleth the to crye what wilt thou haue me to do vnto the what â–ª knewe not Iesus why he cryed knew not he what he shoulde doe That is not so but all this was done for our custruccion Many beleued that this blynde man loked for an almes of the lorde because he was a begger For so nowe a daies many crye vnto Iesus Lorde haue mercy vpon me And beyng demaunded what they sue for what they desyre to haue one sayth graunt that I maye be riche an other that I maye gette an office this man that I maie haue a wyfe with a good dowrie an other geue me bodilye strength geue me long lyfe or graunt that I may be auenged on my enemy But these thinges Iesus many times taketh awaye from his frendes because it so behoueth for their saluacion The euangelike begger desyred none of all these thinges For he knew right well what ought to be desyred of Iesu. Therfore let vs both heare and folowe hym Rabbone sayeth he that is as muche to saye as my maister make me to see For being careles for all other thynges he desyred nothing els but light whereby he might see God and his sonne Iesus whom to knowe is euerlasting lyfe For in scripture to knowe God is nothing els but to see God O very Euangelike and christiaÌ„ praier How fewe wordes hath it but how great faith Doubtles this is that short prayer whiche pearceth the heauens Therfore Iesus answered Go thy way thy faith hath purchased the helth He is not byanby a man vndoen and cast awaye whiche seeth not awhit with bodelyiyes but whoso seeth nothing at all with the iyes of his soule thesame cannot be saued To haue recouered these iyes is life euerlasting Heare this saying thou pharisaicall felow whosoeuer thou be that sayest I ascribe my safety to myne oft fastinges to my long prayers to mine almesdedes and my sacrifices and for that cause thou criest not with the begger haue mercy on me but sayest geue me the reward due vnto my deseruinges Now Iesus doth contrarily ascribe saluacion vnto faith and not vnto woorkes The blinde man streyght wayes recouered his sighte not because he deserued it but for that he beleued And being commaunded to go his waye he folowed Iesus Lighte is geuen the freely thy blindnes is taken awaye for naught Afterward thou art left to thyne owne arbitrement whether thou wilt vse the gift of god aright or no. Thou art not compelled to folow thou hast onely power geuen the to see Iesus go now whither thou wilt but at thyne owne auenture What did that blessed blinde man Heretourned not backe agayne to his beggerly cloke or mantel he retourned not to his olde beggerye but forgote all these thinges and folowed Iesus in the waye It auaileth but litle to haue knowen Iesus vnlesse thou do thy deuoire to folowe him whom thou seest Iesus goeth straight to the crosse hither muste thou folow hym after thou hast once recouered thy syght a gain As long as thou art blynd thou maiest crye Iesu haue mercye vpon me but thou canst not folow him this way before thine iye syght be restored For who would folow him that willingly geueth his soule to death onlesse he saw by fayth that worldly reproche were the waye to euerlasting glory that bodily
father and the sonne of the speaker and the worde that was spoken like as he was the onely beegotten sonne of his onely father so he was the onely woorde of the said father being therof the onely speaker ¶ The same was in the beginning with god al thinges were by it and without it was made nothing that was made And albeit this woorde was God being almighty of him that was almightie yet differing in proprietie of person not by vnlikenes of nature he was with god the father not brought furth in time but before all tymes so alwayes procedyng from the fatherly mind that neuertheles he neuer departed from thesame Neyther was he create of the father but the father made all thynges that be create both visible inuisible by this his worde beyng lykewyse eternall as he is himselfe By the same woord he gouerneth all thinges by the same he hath restored all thinges not vsyng it as an instrument or minister but as a sonne of the selfe same nature and vertue that he is of to thintenâ— that all manier of thynges should come from the father as the excellent auctour and maker of thesame but by the sonne whome he had eternally begotten and shall be get without ende like to himselfe in all thinges ¶ In it was lyfe and life was the light of men and the light shineth in darkenes and the darkenesse comprehended it not And this woorde of god had might power not only to make all thinges in generall both visible and inuisible at his will pleasure as it were with a becke but also in that worde was the life strength of all thinges that were create that by thesame euery thyng should haue his naturall strength and force and by the might whiche was once geuen to them saue themselfes in their kynde by continuall generacion For there is nothing idle or without vse emonges so great a multitude of thinges Euery herbe and tree hath his strengthe put into it and euery beast hath a certain wit in his kynde But as by his prouidence he hath framed al thinges whiche he hath create by a certain power naturally graffed in theim euery thing to worke his propertie and to the continuaunce of his kinde so he hath not lefte the moste faâ—â—e workemanship of this worlde without light For as he is to all folkes the fountain of lyfe so is he also the fountain of lyght by reason that his father powreth into hym the fulnes of the diuine nature by an euerlasting natiuitie So that he only restoreth lyfe yea euen to the dead and by his light putteth awaye the darkenes of mens mindes be they neuer so darke Therefore the woorde of God whiche is Christ Iesus is to mens myndes the selfe thing â–ª that the yearthly sunne is to bodily iyes whose mindes after they were fallen thorowe sinne into most depe darkenes and death he labored to helpe with his vnspeakable charitie For before that tyme men dyd lyue in ignoraunce and abyding in the darkenes of synnes wurshippyng dumme ydoles in stede of the true God being synfully drowned in blind desyres of theyr mindes lacked the iyes of the hert wherwith eternall trueth is perceyued God had sprinkled into mens mindes some litle sparke of a quicke perceyuing wit but bodily affeccions and darkenes of synnes had blinded the same And the darkenes of this worlde was so very great that neyther mans wisedome and philosophie neyther the religion of Moses lawe nor yet the lyght of the Prophetes coulde put it clerly awaye But at the last came that our eternall moste bright sunne to whose inuincible light all darkenes geueth place and he came to restore lyfe to all men not only to the Iewes but to all nacions of the worlde And by putting away the darkenes of synnes to geue syght to all people that thorowe the lyght of faith they might acknowlege God the father onely to bee wurshipped and loued and his onely sonne Iesus Christe This bodily sunne doth not geue lyght to all men at once for it hath his soondrye courses but this other spirituall lyghte by his naturall power dooeth shyne yea euen in the moste thicke darkenesse of the worlde offeryng it selfe to all menne to thentente they maye haue lyfe again and see the waye of eternall saluacion whiche is open to euery body through the faith of the ghospell And although the world being blinded with the filthines of synne and the cloude of synfull desyres woulde not beholde this lyght yet could it bee blemished with no darkenes of this worlde how greate soeuer it were For he onely was pure from all impurenes of synne neyther was he any other thyng but light all manier waies pure and vncorrupted For the darkenes of this worlde doeth coÌ„tinually striue against the lyght wiche the worlde hateth as the bewrayer of his workes and that darkenes doth eyther quenche or darken the beames of many but against this lyuely and eternal lyghte it coulde nothyng preuayle The Iewes haue striuen against this lyght the Philosophers the great men of the world and all those whiche hath dedicate themselfes wholly to transitory thinges but this light hath had the victory it shineth still in the middes of the darkenes of the worlde and ener shall shine making all men partakers therof so they will apply themselfes to bee apt to receyue it But what should a man doe to them whiche wittingly and willingly repell the lyght whan it is offred vnto theim whiche whan they bee allured and called to the lyght of purpose shut theyr iyes because they wyll not see it Truely the sonne of God dyd leaue nothyng vndoen wherby any man should lacke his lyght ¶ I here was sent from God a man whose name was Iohn the same came as a witnes to beare witnes of the lyght that all men through hym might beleue he was not the lyght but was sent to beare witnes of the lyght For he dyd not preace hymselfe sodainly into mens sight lest he shoulde the more haue blinded them by reason of their incredulytie and lacke of beliefe For who woulde haue beleued a thing so muche to bee meruayled at excepte lytell by lytel he had prepared mens mindes by many wayes to belyefe Therefore he not being satisfyed to haue declared to all men by this wunderull creation of the worlde both his almighty power wisedom excedyng great goodnes and excellent charitie towardes mankind neyther yet contented as it were to sygnifie his cumming before hand by so many prophecies of the prophetes and so many shadowes and figures of the olde lawe in conclusion he sente a man more excellent then all the Prophetes wose name was Iohn who although he deserued the chiefe prayse of holynes emonge all men that were borne vntil his time and was called an Aungel for the dignitie of his office being greater then any Prophetes office yet he was none other but man very largely endued with many giftes of God
man we haue touched him with our handes and by all profes and tokenes we haue founde him to be very man yea and also we haue seen his godly glory in very dede mete for the onely sonne of God the like whereof was neuer shewed to any of the angels Prophetes or Patriarches but it was suche as God the father woulde haue his onely sonne to be honoured with And this glory we haue seen in the workinge of his miracles in the vttringe of his heauenly doctrine and in the vision vpon the mounte Thabor when he was transfigured before our iyes when also the very voice of his father cumming downe from heauen professed him to be his dearly beloued sonne as the saied father did notably set him furth in his baptisme both with his voice and with the holy goste vnder the figure and similitude of a dooâ—e And againe when the sonne before his death desired hym to glorify hym with that glorye whiche he had before the worlde was made a voyce came downe from heauen and knowledged him to bee his sonne saying Bothe I haue and will glorifye the. In conclusion we haue seen hym in his resurreccion both when he already beeyng risen from death to lyfe did shewe furthe to vs his body whiche we mighte touche and handle but yet was it subiecte to no euill and also when before oure iyes he was carried vp into heauen And his glory did appeare and shine vnto vs not onely by these thinges but also his very death did aproue his godly power and strengthe when as the vaile of the temple was deuided the earth quaked the stones braste in soundre the graues and monumentes did open the dead bodies did rise againe the sunne losinge his lighte broughte sodaine darkenes into the worlde And whiles immediatly after a vehementcrie he yelded vp his goste as who sayeth he forsoke his life wyllyngly and not for lacke of strengthe By thys so wonderfull a death he did so glorify the father that both the thefe whiche did hange by him and also the Centurion did acknowledge him to bee the sonne of God And albeit when he was conuersaunt here in earth and went about the busines of our saluacion he had leauer shewe vs exaumple of sobrenes mekenes and obedience then to boast his owne greatnes yet all his communicacion all his dedes yea his very behauiour and countenaunce did declare hym to bee full of all godly giftes full of eternall and suche trueth as cannot bee confounded For although God doeth geue to other holy men also large giftes of his grace trueth yet he did powre into him as into his onely sonne the whole fountaine of heauenly giftes to thintent that in hym alone might be so muche as shoulde suffice all men And we did thorowly see him to be suche one euen vntill his ascencion ¶ Iohn beareth witnes of hym and crieth saying This was he of whom I spake whiche though he came after me went before me for he was before me Let vs now procede and declare how he was first knowen vnto the world wheras vntil this time not so muche as his owne brethren beleued hym to be any other but man for he woulde be knowen lytle by lytle lest so straunge a thing shoulde not haue been beleued emonges men if it had risen sodainly And truly many thinges went before whiche might some maner of way haue prepared mens mindes to faithfull beliefe as the auctoritie of the prophetes the shadowes of the lawe the agreable song of the Angels at his natiuitie the godly deuocion of the shephardes the guiding starre the deuout behauiour of the three wise men the vnquietnes of kyng Herode with all Ierusalem for the birth of this new kyng the prophecies of Simeon and Anna and also certain thinges that he did beyond the reche course of mans nature wherat his mother and Ioseph meruailed with theim selfe what those thinges should meane yet neuertheles when the tyme was come wherin it was deereed eternally that he should openly take in hande the busynes of preaching the kingdome of heauen it pleased hym as I sayd before to be commended and set furth by the witnes of Iohn also for a tyme not that he neded mans witnes but because so it was expedient eyther to allure the Iewes to beleue of whom euery one had Iohn in hye estimacion or els to rebuke the vnbeliefe of the wicked when they woulde not beleue no not hym bearing witnes of Christ to whom in other thinges they did attribute so much that they toke him to be Messias which was promysed by the prophecies of the prophetes to deliuer the people of Israell Therfore when Iohn preaching the kyngdom of God to bee at hand had alredy gathered together many disciples dyd dayly baptise many was had in great auctoritie emong al men but in very dede men had an ill opinion of Iesu the said Iohn doth openly beate into the heades of the multitude and eftsons reherseth that thing whiche diuers times before he had witnessed of him And accordyng to Esaies prophecy whiche dyd tell before hand that he shoulde in wildernes say with a loud voice make redy the way of the lorde he nowe not priuely vnto his owne disciples but to all people indifferenly which euery day resorted to him accustomably because of his baptisme and doctrine yea and came purposely to heare the very certaintie what opinion so notable a man had of Iesu he I say spake out with a plain and a cleare voice saying This is he of whom heretofore I haue often spoken vnto you before whome thorow errour you do prefer me when that I tolde you there shoulde be one which should folowe me in age and time of preaching and shoulde also be rekened inferiour to me in the opinion of the multitude he hath nowe ouertaken me and whereas he semed to bee after me he hath begun to be before me And no meruaile seing that euen then also he did excell me in all giftes although in the iudgemente of men he semed inferiour vnto me ¶ And of his fulnes haue all we â—eceiued euen grace for grace for the law was giuen by Moses but grace and trueth came by Iesus Christe He is the fountain of all truth and grace All we whom ye haue in so great admyracion bee nothing els but as it were litle brookes or furth cumming streames for the litle that we haue euery man according to his porcion is drawen furth out of the fulnes of this fountain froÌ„ whence whatsoeuer apperteineth to euerlasting saluacion springeth vnto all men All the vertue that was in the patriarkes in the prophetes and in Moses dyd come from this fountain I am nothing els but the goer before of hym that is cumming he is both the very publisher and also the auctour of the grace of the ghospell whiche geueth true and euerlastyng saluacion to all men thorow faithe We are bounde to thanke hym for that by the
saluacioÌ„ he hath geuen his only begotten sonne to suffer death yea and suche a death as is moste shameful after the worldes estimacioÌ„ his will was to bestow geue one for the saluacioÌ„ of al men Nicodemus sayth he let not this thyng seme to thee to be suddayne and straunge this is the very thyng which Moses by a figure did signifie should come when at such time as the people did perishe thorow the vehement inuasion of serpentes he did hang vp a brasen serpent vpon a stake that whosoeuer had loked therupon should be safe from the deadly biting of the serpeÌ„tes Therfore as that brasen serpent hauing in dede the likenes of a venemous beaste but yet beyng so voyde of all venome that it did also helpe others whiche were poysoned was hanged vp in the desert that all men might see it for their safetie so muste the sonne of man be exalted to thâ—ntent that all which thorowe faith shall lifte vp theyr iyes vnto hym maye be deliuered froÌ„ the deadly poyson of synne that not onely the people of Israel but generally what manne so euer with a pure herte putteth his full truste in hym should not perishe as subiect to sinne which bringeth euerlastyng death but thorow the death of one innocent shoulde obtayne eternall lyfe Trulye our lorde Iesus by this maner of darke sayinges opened to Nicodemus the misterie of his manhed and of redemyng the worlde by the crosse albeit he was not yet able to receyue and vnderstande these thynges In the meane while declaryng therewithall howe great difference was betwene them whiche did reade the lawe after a carnall sence consideryng nothyng but the plaine story therof and them whiche by inspiracion of the holye ghoste of whom heretofore we haue spoken did perceyue the mistical sence that lâ—eth hid couered ouer with the texte But neuertheles our lorde Iesus did then as it wer sowe seedes of fayth into Nicodemus minde that hereafter he might perceiue this thyng to haue been doen not by casualtie or chaunce but by the appoyntment of God and so the good seede beyng receyued into apte grounde might bryng furth in due tyme the fruite of faith not only in Nicodemus hert whiche did heare these thynges but also in all theyr myndes vnto whom these thynges should be declared by his reporte For God so loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in hym should not perishe but haue euerlastyng life For God sent not his sonne into the worlde to condemne the worlde but that the worlde thorow him might be saued He that beleueth in hym is not condemned But he that beleueth not is condemned alreadye because he hath not beleued in the name of the onely begotten sonne of god For who would haue beleued the charitie of God to haue been so greate towardes the worlde beyng rebell to hym and giltie of so many great faultes that not onely he did not reuenge the vngraciouse actes that had been committed therin but also sent downe his onely sonne from heauen into earth and deliuered hym to suffre death yea euen the moste shamefull death of the crosse to thintente that what man soeuer would beleue in him wer he Iewe Grecian or neuer so barbarouse should not perishe but obtaine eternall lyfe thorowe the fayth of the ghospel For albeit that in tyme to come the father should iudge the vniuersall worlde by his sonne at his last cummyng yet at this tyme whiche is appoynted for mercie God hath not sente his sonne to condemne the worlde for the wicked dedes therof but by his death to geue free saluacion to the worlde thorow faith And leste any body perishyng wilfully should haue wherby to excuse their owne malice there is geuen to al folkes an easie entrie to saluacion For satisfaccion of the faultes committed before is not required neither yet obseruacion of the law nor circumcision only he that beleueth in hym shall not be condemned forasmuche as he hath embraced that thing by the whiche eternal saluacion is geuen to all folkes be thei neuer so muche burdened with synnes so that thesame person after he hath professed the ghospell dooe abstayne from the euil dedes of his former life and laboure to go forward to perfect godlines according to the doctrine of him whose name he hath professed but whosoeuer contemnyng so great charitie of God towardes hym and putting from himselfe the saluacion that was freely offred hym doeth not beleue the ghospell he hath no nede to be iudged of any body forasmuche as he doeth openly condeÌ„ne himselfe and reiectyng the thyng wherby he mighte attaine eternall lyfe maketh hymselfe giltye of eternall payne God hath offred saluacion to all folkes by his onely begotteÌ„ sonne and that thorow faithe to thyntent we maie knowlege and wurshyp hym as the auctour of saluacion and put the hope of all oure felicitie in hym Whosoeuer refuseth thus to do and despiseth the goodnes of god beyng so readie to be had and dishonoreth his sonne whom the father woulde haue to be honored and also estemeth as nothyng his death that he suffred for vs that person I saye doeth declare himselfe euen in very dede to be woorthy of euerlastyng punishement For who perceyueth not hym to perishe of good right and thorow his owne faute whiche willingly wittyngly doeth embrace that thing by the which he perisheth and resisteth that thyng wherby he might haue recouered health And this is the condemnacion that light is come into the worlde and men loued darkenes more then lighte because their dedes were euill for euery man that euill dooeth hateth the light neither cummeth he to the light lest his dedes should be reproued but he that dooeth trueth cuÌ„meth to the light that his dedes maye be knoweÌ„ how that they are wrought in god Errour and synnes be the darkenes of myndes and synnes doe ingender euerlastyng death The sonne of God is the lighte of the worlde for the lighte is trueth to beleue him is euerlastyng health Therefore when thorowe the bountifull goodnes of God light came into the worlde whiche was blynded thorowe lacke of knowledge of the trueth and with innumerable vices to thintent that the trueth beyng knowen it should be conuerted and saued yet men loued theyr owne darkenes more then the lyght that was sente from heauen If the sicke man perishe whiche hideth his disease from the phisician because he would not be holpen dooeth not he geue iudgemente of hymselfe that he perisheth thorowe his owne faute So menne that were altogether geuen to the worlde did refuse the light when it was offred them â–ª because their workes were euill For as he whiche committeth a shamefull acte dooeth loue the darke nighte â–ª and shunneth the light of the sunne leste his deedes should be knowen so thei whiche know themselues giltie hate the light of the euangelical trueth by the whiche all foule and naughtie doinges are bewrayed because thei
saying I am the light of the worlde He that foloweth me doth not walke in darkeneâ—se but shall haue the light of life The Phariseis therfore sayed vnto hym thou â—earest recorde of thy selfe thy recorde is not true Iesus answered and sayed vnto them Though I beare recorde of my self yet my recorde is true for I knowe whence I cam and whither I go But ye can not tell whence I come and whither I go Ye iudge after the fleshe I iudge no man And if I iudge my iudgement is true For I am not alone but I go to the father that sent me It is also written in your lawe that the testimonie of two men is true I am one that beareth wytnesse of my selfe and the father that sent me beareth witnesse of me Then sayed they vnto him where is thy father Iesus aunswered ye neyther knowe me nor yet my father yf ye had knowen me ye shoulde haue knowen my father also These wordes spake Iesus in the treasury as he taught in the temple and no man layed handes on hym for his houre was not yet come Therfore nowe when they whiche complayned of the woman were sente awaie and euery man brought to the knowledge of his owne synne and the synner dismyst Iesus vpon this occasion goeth in hande agayne to make an ende of the sermon whiche he had begun Sinne is darkenes They that bee true and of plaine meaninge studie not to be thoughte other maner of folke then they be go to the light and are deliuered out of darkenes lyke as the synfull woman wente vnto Iesus And because she did not denye but confessed the thynge that she had committed she wente a waye iustifyed Contrary wyse the heade men and the Phariseis because they woulde be thoughte righteous when as in very dede they wer vngraciouse and very wicked dedde from the lyghte leste theyr dysease shoulde be knowen and so they made whole Therfore Iesus doeth exhorte all folke that whosoeuer is be wrapped in synne should come to hym but so that he come penitente and shoulde rather folowe hym then the Phariseis who being blynde were guydes of the blynde And leste any man throughe knowledge of his sinnes shoulde not be bolde to come vnto hym he taught vs in the aduoutresse a litle before howe he reiected no man that desirethe to be healed I am sayethe he that to the whole not to Palestine alone which the sunne in the firmamente is to all the worlde as muche to saye I am the light of the worlde The sunne taken awaye maketh all thinges darke withall It beareth lighte before all bodyes I am light to pure soules It geueth life and likynge to all bodyes I am lighte more presently to soules He that walketh in the lighte of the sunne stumblethe not in the darke whoso folowethe me and beleueth on my doctrine shall abide no longer in darkenes of errour and sinne â–ª but beinge purged froÌ„ sinne and illumined with the doctrine of the gospell shall haue the true light which geueth lyfe to the soule It belongeth to the dead to be hid in darkenes and the propertie of them that be aliue is to walke and be coÌ„uersant in the light To haue knowledge of me is the life of the soule Contrary synne and to bee ignoraunt of me is eternall death The Phariseis enuye coulde not broke this magnificence whiche Christe preached of hymselfe specially forasmuche as they thoughte themselues to be touched couertly and whatsoeuer did redound vnto Iesus commendacion and praise thesame to be a derogacion to theirs And furthwith therfore they cried out againste hym in the presence of the multitude fearyng leste the common people would forsake them and folow Christ and to bryng hym out of credence they would make him a lyar and charged hym therwith Thou they saye bearest recorde and speakest stoutly of thy selfe but no mans owne recorde is to be beleued It is no true mans parte but a proude mans fashion to set forth his owne prayse wherfore this thyne owne testemonye is not true To this vengeable checke whiche yet in dede coulde not so muche hurte his glory as it mighte hynder the saluacion of that great nombre of people Iesus made a sharpe aunswere saying Trueth it is amonges men the witnesse of hym whiche bothe maye deceyue and be deceiued is of small importaunce and weyeth litle I alone am not witnesse to my selfe who can bring for me Iohns recorde and the witnesse whiche the prophetes bare of me yea and though there were no mannes recorde of me who stande in no nede of it For if I alone shoulde beare witnesse of my selfe yet could not you in case ye knewe plainly who I am and whence I came reproue mine owne recorde It is expedient that those mennes witnesse be drawen in question and doubted of which being nothing els but verye men and according to mans iudgement make relacion of themselues may be deceiued also lye if they list but these thinges hath that way no place in me For I speake nothing of mine owne head but the thyng that I say cummeth of him from whom I was sent I haue none other preteÌ„se therein but to set furth his glory He cannot lye and his onely recorde is more holy and vncorrupt then all mennes witnesses Whosoeuer hath proâ—eded froÌ„ him and speaketh all thinges according to his minde within a while to returne again vnto thesame person from whence he came hath no nede of mans witnesse when as his owne propre actes are in redines to declare who he is But you being blinded with enuye of purpose will not knowe the thing that ye might knowe and because ye iudge peruerslye of me through thestimacion that ye haue of those thinges which are in me other mortall men indiffereÌ„tly and coÌ„mon to both ye do not perceiue froÌ„ whence I came nor whither I shall go For this is not seen except mennes myndes wicked affeccions set aside do iudge after the spirite and in ready belefe of myndes learne by the thynges whiche I do speake with coÌ„ferryng together the sayinges of the prophetes to see that it is an heauenly thyng and no worldly thyng But you iudge after the fleshe why because ye be corrupted with worldly affeccion condemning wickedly to your owne vtter destruccioÌ„ that thing which ye ought to imbrace to eternall saluacion Your iudgement therfore is corrupte and false because it cuÌ„meth not of God but out of worldly and humaine lustes And in the meane tyme do I iudge no man For the tyme of iudgement is not yet but of saluacion And yet if I should geue iudgement of you my iudgement should be true because it doeth not swarue and dissent from Gods iudgement For I shoulde not geue sentence alone but I and my father who sent me ioyntelye together should pronounce semblably one thyng forasmuche as we bothe throughlye will all one In worldly matters the iudgement of many weyeth
will he went to his death furthermore that by his death and resurreccion he should be lyfted vp to heauen whither as no man by any worldly wisedom could be brought When with this saying the Iewes wer made afeard and vnderstode not what he ment they durste not for al that aske the meanyng but whispered and talked therof secretely among theÌ„selues saying What is the matter that this man doethe sundrye tymes threaten vs with his goyng awaye thither whither we cannot folowe hym wyll he violently kyll hymselfe and so withdrawe him from vs Iesus whiche knew the very thoughtes of them all dyd so temper and moderate his aunswere vnto this very grosse muttrynge and sinfull murmuryng that the thyng whiche he spake shoulde not bee vnderstande but after his death resurreccion and ascencion For they supposyng that Iesus was nothing els but a man could coniecture none other thyng but that he shoulde go to his death and so be delyuered from the grefe of his persecutours when as his meanyng was that hymselfe as touchynge his godhede came from heauen and that he should anon after ouercome deathe and returne agayne thither from whence he came Ye sayethe he beynge of this worlde are worldly wise and speake after the carnall iudgement of the world I am not of this worlde and do speake hyer thynges then you can vnderstande neyther shall ye euer vnderstande them excepte ye leaue your infidelitie and shew your selues ready to be taught and therefore I tolde you erwhile and now tell you once againe that vnlesse ye put away your malice ye shall dye in your sinnes The onely waye to escape the darkenes of synnes is to receiue the lyght The onely waye to lyfe is to knowe him whiche onely deliuereth from deathe by the faythe of the gospell And in case ye do obstinately-refuse to beleue that I am he by whom the father willeth that all men should obtaine life and saluacion ye shall thorow your own faulte dye in your synnes Then sayed they vnto hym Who aâ—t thou And Iesus sayeth vnto them euen the vâ—â—yâ— same thyng that I speake vnto you I haue many thynges to saye and to iudge of you Yeâ— and he that sent me is true and I speake in the worlde those thinges whiche I haue heard of hym Howbeit they vnderstoode not that he spake of his father Then sayed Iesus vnto them When ye haue lift vp on dye the sonne of man then shall ye know that I am he and that I doe nothyng of my selfe but as my father hath taughte me euen so I speake those thynges he that sent me is with me The father hath not left me alone for I do alwayes those thynges that please hym Neither yet did this saying of the lord Iesus settell downe into the mindes of the Phariseis so very muche had the inordinate loue of this world blynded theyr myndes and therefore as thoughe they had neither seen nor hearde anye thing wherby they might know who he was they now maliciously saie vnto Iesus who art thou but Iesus knowing before hand that thei would picke some quarell against whatsoeuer answere he should make which asked him the question of a frowarde mynde therewith also iudgeyng them to be more fitte to heare what themselues wer then what he was maketh them aunswere on this wise sayinge Ye desyre to knowe who I am wel then do beleue but surely ye shall not beleue excepte ye put awaye grosse and worldely affeccions for els if I doe tell you who I am I shall tell it to your harme For ye wyll not onely be neuer a deale better therby but forasmuche as ye be manye wayes euyll ye shall so muche the more be made wurse And this that I nowe speake vnto you shall make your damnacion the greater I thyrst and couet the saluacion of men and not theyr vtter destruccion Or els I coulde speake manye thynges of you and for manye causes condemne you But it is not so thought good to my father who sente me into the world not to cause the euyll to bee wurse but to thintent that those whiche be euill should forthinke and amende themselues and be saued The father that sent me is he that sayth trueth yf ye beleue hym ye shall be saued And ye shall beleue hym yf ye will beleue me of truethe ye shall without daunger safelye beleue me that speake nothynge vnto you but what as I haue heard of my father with whoÌ„ I was before I came into the worlde He hath commaunded me to speake true thynges the trueth of suche thynges as do further meÌ„ to saluacion and not to damnacion And yf any man do perishe he shall perishe thorow his owne faulte who doeth enuye his owne health that is offered him But the blyndnes of the Iewes was so grosse that althoughe he had so ofte made mencion of his father from whom he was sent and to whom he shoulde go of whom he should haue recorde and did heare the thynges whiche he did speake as yet for all that it vnderstood not that he spake of the father of heauen because they coulde beleue nothynge in hym aboue a manne For these sayinges were then as seedes closed vp in the memorye of the hearers to thintente that they shoulde then bring furth frute when as all thinges shoulde be fully accomplished whiche the Prophetes had written of Iesu. It was expediente that as yet he shoulde be thought a very man vntill he had fully finished for the saluacion of the worlde that hye sacrifice whiche was to bee offered vpon the alter of the crosse For it so pleased the father that by death God shoulde bee glorified Our lorde Iesus in the meane time meaning this goeth furth in his communicacion insinuating couertly that he shoulde afterwarde willinglye be crucified by them sayeth thus When ye shall lyfte vp on hye the sonne of man euen very then ye shall vnderstande who I am and after that ye shall thinke me vtterly made awaye then in conclusion ye shall well knowe my power For ye shall right well perceiue that the thing is wrought not as men do thinges but by my fathers power after whose pleasure and iudgemente I do what thing soeuer I do practise herein earth to the saluacion of man Neither do I speake any thing but according to his minde And albeit I am sente into the worlde from hym yet am not I forsaken of hym he hath not lefte me but he is alway present with me and doeth assiste me and by me he both worketh and speaketh vnto you for betwene vs two is a moste hye consente he is glorified by me and I againe by hym but he is the auctor and I the messenger And I do the office of an embassadour so faythfully that I alwaye do those thinges whiche he hath commaunded and determined Moses and Dauid whom ye haue in great reuerence spake and did manye thinges according to Gods will but yet thesame did
mans nature And if in time to come ye feale that nature irketh and repineth against the dreadfull tormentes and deathes wherewith ye be menaced and threatned doe not vtterly sterte awaye as men discomfeited clearly ouercome but let valiantues of mynde alwaye depending of the father of heauens ayde vanquish in you the feblenes and cowardnesse of mans nature But euen nowe also I fele myne owne soule troubled in my selfe because the daye of my death is nye I see a sore greuouse tempest imminent and hang ouer me What shall I saye or whither shall I turne me shall I yelde to the infirmitie of the body which abhorreth death Shal I flee to the succours of the worlde or shall I for the loue of mine owne life neglect the life of the whole worlde no not so I will accommodate and applye my selfe to my fathers will My naturall infirmitie beyng sore incumbred with the horriblenesse of death shall say vnto him Father if it may be kepe me safe from this instant perill of death But charitie whiche muche desireth mans saluacion furthwith putteth to this saying Yet rather for all that sayeth she in case it be fit and expedient so to be let the coueted death come when as after the will of the spirite whiche doeth no where disagree with thyne I haue willyngly and wittingly offered my selfe to death Nowe bryng thou it to passe that my death and resurreccion maye cause thy name to be notable and famouse in al countreys of the worlde that when thou art once knowen the people honoring thee may attayne to eternall saluacion Than came a voyce from heauen saying I haue both glorified it and will glorifie it againe The people therfore that stode by and heard it sayed that it thundred other sayed an aungell spake to hym Iesus aunswered and sayed This voice came not because of me but for your sakes Nowe is the iudgemente of this worlde nowe shall the prince of this worlde be cast out And I if I were lifte vp from the earth will drawe all men vnto me This he sayed signifying what death he should dye After our Lord Iesus had thus prayed with his iyes lift vp into heauen the voice of the father came from heauen saying I haue glorified my name and will after this more excellently set it forth For alredy his name through so many miracles was waxed great and muche knowen among menne by his sonne but moste chiefly by raysing Lazarus from death to lyfe And soone after would he augment the glory of his name in all the nacions of the worlde by the crosse by the resurreccion and by the ascendyng vp into heauen by sending downe of the holy ghost and by the preaching of his Apostles Moreouer the route of people whiche stode not farre of when they heard the voice that came downe from heauen because they toke lytle hede neyther was it euident to them vnto whom that voice did appartayne that cumpany of people I say agreed not in their opinions of the thyng For some did interpretate the voice that they thought they heard to be a thuÌ„der for the voice came out of the cloudes Some againe did interpretate the thyng more fauourably saying some angell did speake vnto hym But Iesus to make them take more hede also to put awaye from him all suspicion of prayse sayeth this voice which is neither noise of thundres nor voice of angell but the voice of my father which hath heard my prayers came not for me who knowe in my selfe my fathers minde but it is come for you that ye maye vnderstand that my father I doe agre and that whatsoeuer I doe he being the authour I doe it for your saluacion sake You haue hearde what my father hath promised as touching my death Nowe shortly must Satan be wrestled withal for good all who is the prince or rather tiranne of this world through sinne hath hitherto kept al theÌ„ in death which loue this world Nowe is the cause of the whole world drawen into iudgemente but falshood beyng reproued trueth shall come to light And whiles the prince of the world the authour of death thinketh himselfe a conquerour he shall through death be put from his tiranny For all men shal be pardoned theyr sinnes through faythe of the gospell Sinne once takeÌ„ away the tirantes force strength is qualled who is valiant mighty in no other weapon saue sinne onely And as he that shall thinke himselfe to haue the victory shal sodainly be expelled his kingdom so I that shal be thought vtterly made away after I be lifted vp froÌ„ the earth wil drawe all thinges on euery side vnto me of right chalengyng that thyng vnto me which hitherto he hath kept in possession by tyraÌ„ny Furthermore in that Christe sayed When I shal be lift vp from the earth because the saying was doubtfull yet right fitte to expresse the thing he would signifie what kinde of death he should dye For they that are hanged vp vpon a crosse hang vp on hye that all men may see theÌ„ a farre of And he gaue them withall a priuey warning of the old story which sheweth that a brasen serpent beyng a figure of Christe and set vp vpon a hie pole did geue to all them that behelde it though it were a farre of presente helpe against the mortall woundes of serpentes The people answered hym We haue heard out of the lawe that Christe bideth euer and howe sayest thou the sonne of man must be lift vp who is that soÌ„ne of man Then Iesus sayd vnto them yet a litle while is the light with you Walke while ye haue light leste the darknes come on you He that walketh also in the darke woâ—eth not whither he goeth while ye haue light beleue on the light that ye may be the children of the lyght And yet were there some in that assembly of people which did coniecte because of the forespeakyng of death that he had spoken of the tormente of the crosse And therupon they stode in argument that he was not Messias which published that himselfe should dye whereas scripture geueth to Messias power and a kyngdome eternall For thus writeth Daniel His power is an euerlasting power which shal not be taken away and his kingdome shal remaine for euer And again Micheas the Prophete speaketh thus His out-going hath been from the beginning and from euerlasting Also Esai sayeth And there shal be no ende of his peace Yea and moreouer the prophecie of the psalmes doeth promise hym a perpetuall priesthood saying Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedeck Than say they therfore We knowe by the lawe that when Messias shall come he shall abyde continue for euer What meaneth it therfore that thou sayest it shall come to passe that the sonne of man shall be lift vp from the earth but and if to be lift vp from the earth be to dye and yf thou wilt haue the
wildernesse Suche as goe about to get a name and gaynes by iugglyng castes and woorkyng of Magicall miracles desyer to be in those cities whereas moste haunt and resorte of people is But oure sauiour Iesus in that he ofte tymes shunneth muche assembly of people plainly teacheth vs what we ought to do He that is able to worke the miracles of the gospell doeth not so muche desyer the great multitude as the feruent mynde and affeccion of beholders In great cities many resorted vnto hym for this purpose only to delite their iyes with newe and straunge sightes No man foloweth Iesus into the wyldernesse vnlesse he long after hym with a certaine vehement desire and affeccion He that forgoeth al pleasures of good tounes and foloweth Christ thorow rough and cumberous places foloweth hym to his great commoditie For he that loueth hym vnfaynedly doeth in all thinges folowe hym whome he loueth through reproche hungre despoylyng of substauÌ„ce banishmeÌ„t imprisonment tourmentes and death And suche folowers of Christ were figured by those that came flockyng out of all countreis and partes of Galile vnto Iesu who kept hymselfe close in desert and solitary places The .ij. Chapter BUT whithersoeuer a man flieth vertue hath euer her fame and glory folowyng her euen as the shadow foloweth the body For he that is vnfainedly good caÌ„ neuer be but one maner of man and lyke himselfe And as there is alwayes light whithersoeuer the body of the suÌ„ne remoueth euen so to what place soeuer true godlinesse remoueth there is alwayes great resort of people Now wildernesse was no longer wildernesse after the lorde Iesus the true light of this world was gon thither And yet the persone in whome is the power to worke the myracles of the ghospell ceaseth not asmuche as in him lyeth to auoyde such places wheras muche people is assembled to beholde hym for that he knoweth certainly what a perilous vice vainglory is Neuerthelesse the feruent desyre he hath to helpe and do all men good doeth oftimes cause hym though it be againste his nature to haue recourse thither againe And by this meanes cummeth it to passe that whiles the good man is compelled to remoue from place to place the moe receiueth benefite at his handes ¶ After a few dayes also he entred into Capernaum agayne and it was noysed that he was in the house and anon many were gathered together insomuche that now there was no roume to receiue them no not somuche as about the dore He preached the worlde vnto them And there came certaine vnto him bringyng one sicke of the Palsey whiche was borne of fower men And when they could not come nye vnto him for prease they vncouered the roofe of the house that he was in And when they had broken vp the â—oofe they did with â—dâ—des let downe the bed wherin the sicke of the Palsey lay When Iesus sawe their fayth he sayd vnto the sicke of the Palsey sonne thy sinnes be forgeuen thee Wherfore Iesus geuyng vs ensample bothe to flye vayne glory and also continually to doe good to our euen christen within fewe dayes after returned agayne to Capernaum from whence he semed to be dryuen away before by reason of the great importunitie of the people whiche euen in the night tyme lay about the gates of the house wherin he soiourned For as he made Bethleem muche renoumed by his byrthe and Nazareth very famous by his educacion and the countrey of Egypt happy because he fled thyther for his preseruacion and safegarde so did he as it were adopte and choose Capernaum to be his countrey bothe by his ofte tarrying there and also by shewyng of many fayer miracles in the same He came agayn hyther in maner by stealth and fyrste kepte hymselfe secrete in a house before it was knowen in the citye that he was cum But as the Sunne can not be hyd so the Lorde Iesus can not be kept close and secret The rumour whiche as it is commonly seen rose of a few persons had now bloweÌ„ abrode throughout the whole citie that Iesus was in the house And furthwith thither flocked suche a multitude of people that all the house was fylled and not onely that but also the porche and al the places about the dore were not sufficient to receiue them It is a blessed house whither Iesus is cum to dwell and neuer departeth thence agaynt That house is the churche For Capernaum beareth the figure of the whole worlde wheresoeuer the Gentyles inhabite Certes at Ierusalem the Iewes cast Iesus out of the temple and among the Gentiles the kyngdome of heauen suffereth violence and the multitude of all sortes of people entreth into it after a certaine forcible fashion The Christian Nouices sitte aboute the gates greatly desyring to be admitted into the Lordes house muche houngryng and thirstyng after the rightuousnes of the kyngdom of heauen And verily Iesus excludeth no manne from this house neyther poore nor ryche whole nor sycke so that he haue a vehement desyre to heare hym Wherefore the Lorde teachyng vs that we ought alwayes chyeflye to care for our soule health and afterwarde for our bodies fyrste of all ministred vnto them the doctrine of the ghospell wherwith the diseases and maladies of the soule are cured For this cause such as are disposed to geue almes to the poore do very well yf they geue them fyrste a bryefe exhortacion that maye make them the better in mynde and soule and then departe with theyr charitie For the common sort of people be of suche a disordered iudgement that they are more desyrous of those thynges whiche are expedient for the body then of those that pertayne to theyr soule health The lord euidently declared vnto vs by his ensample that our chiefe care oughte to be for that parte whiche is the chiefeste parte or porcion of man in that he fyrste taught and then by and by healed suche as were diseased Nowe whyles Iesus was teachyng and busye about curyng the diseases of theyr soules there came vnto hym certain men bringyng with theim one that was sycke of a Palsey whose synowes were so resolued in all partes of his body through the violence of the disease that he could not styrre out of his bed but was fayne to be caried thither vpon fower mennes shoulders Here hast thou plainly set out the very ymage and fygure of a minde whiche is by worldly lustes and desyres made so womanlyke and dissolute that it can in no wise lift vp it selfe to doe any thyng that is good godly but lyeth styl in the bedde of lowe and filthy cares and neuer remembreth any thyng that is hygh or celestiall Nowe when they sawe howe they coulde not for prease of people that sate so thicke about the gate and porche bryng this sycke man to the sight of Iesus they lifted hym vp vpon the house and after they had remoued the slates and made a way in they let hym doune bed and all
disciples The partie shal byanby know the title of maister euen as an other did one day acknowlage thee calling of me Lorde at what time ye vntyed the Asses colte This partie shall without any delaye shewe you a great wyde parlour with a bourde already couered and all thynges prepared for a repast there to be taken in it and there make ye the pascall lambe ready for me Nowe consider me this point o frēde Theophilus an hoste of none acquaintaunce it is that findeth Christe the parloure to suppe in and a bearer of water is that leder vnto the house where Christ kepeth the solemnitie of his pasche For by meane of baptisme and by the doctrine of gods woord is the entering into the churche the liuely water of gods word doeth clense and the water also of the sacrament doeth clense The good mā of the house hath no name expressed because the churche of Christe is euerywhere springyng first vp of derke and lowe beginnynges but spreadyng it self ferther ferther abrode frō day to day into the whole vniuersal world And because the beginnyng of all health and saluacion is faith the discyples beleue the lord and are obediently rewled by him They departe into the citie they fynde him that was carriyng the pitcher of water they folowe thesame as he goeth before and leadeth the way They declared to the good mā of the house suche message as they had been cōmaunded He sheweth theim a great large dinyng parlour For wyde large it must nedes be which is able to receiue all the naciōs of the worlde For the Iewes Synagogue is but a place of narow roume And ferre frō earthly thinges must such people be sequestred as are disposed to eate the meate celestiall Here in this place than do the disciples prepare the supper verily executyng the office of pastours And whan the houre was cum he sate doune and the twelue Apostles with him And he said vnto thē I haue inwardly desired to eate this passeouer with you before that I suffre for I say vnto you henceforth I wil not eate of it any more vntill it bee fulfilled in the kingdome of god And he toke the cuppe gaue thankes and said Take this and deuide it among you for I say vnto you I will not drinke of the fruite of the vyne vntill the kingdom of god be come And he toke bread whan he had geuen thankes he brake it and gaue vnto thē saiyng This is my body which is geuen for you This do in the remēbraunce of me Likewise also whan he had supped he toke the cuppe saiyng This cuppe is the newe testament in my bloud which is shed for you Yet behold the hand of him that betraieth me is with me on the table and truely the soonne of man goeth as it is appoynted But woe vnto that man by whom he is betrayed And they began to enquire among themselfes whiche of them it was that shoulde dooe it And whan it was nowe supper tyme Iesus came thyther and sate downe to eate with his twelue specially chosen disciples because the residue were not yet able to receiue the depe hiddē mistery whiche his pleasure was that it should by meane of his Apostles be made common vnto such as were once already entred in the misticall rules and profession of the ghospell Than as sone as meate and drynke was sette before theim on the table the lord to the entent he might depely enprient in the mindes of his Apostles that he would suffre the death of the crosse not for any necessitie at all to himself warde but onely for the loue of redemyng mankynde sayed vnto theym With great and earnest desire haue I desired to eat this pascal lābe with you before my death the time wherof I reioyce to be now come because I thirst the redēpcion of man For this woorde I assure you of from this tyme forthward I wyll not eate this pasche with you according to the litterall ordeinaunce and prescripcion of the lawe but an other pasche of more perfeccion shal after the spirite bee accomplished in the kyngdome of god This lambe here whiche is euery yere once solēnely killed of the Iewes cōprised a figure of my death Now is the true thyng self come in place and the shadow shall ceasse ye shal from hensforth solemnise vnto me a ghostly and an effectuall passeouer the eatyng whereof shall make you immortall So after that they had euery one tasted of the lambes fleashe Iesus tooke the cuppe in his hande and gaue thankes vnto his father than geuing the firste assaye of the cuppe and holdyng it foorth vnto them he sayed vnto his disciples Take ye and deuide ye this emongst you And take ye this for a true woorde of my mouth I wyll not from hensforth drynke of the fruite of the vynetree for the necessitie of the fleashe but the kyngdome of God shall immediately bee present Euery one of these thynges whiche the lawe hath had outward and carnall shall be spiritually shewed and ministred And thus ferre is an ende of the figures of the lawe Immediatly hereupon the lorde Iesus entendyng by a misticall figure or token to consecrate to his seruauntes a newe testament tooke breade and after thankes geuing to his father he brake it with his owne handes and deliuered it vnto the disciples saying This is my body whiche is betrayed vnto death for you My death shall not be doen any more then this once For this onely one sacrifice of my death is sufficient for the synnes of all ages and tymes aswell paste as to come But ye shall oftentymes renewe vnto yourselues the memory of my tendre loue towardes you dooyng the lyke emong your selues that ye nowe see doen of me For this shal be an high and holy signe of a bande and league made betwene me and you Than as soone as supper was doen he tooke the cuppe also and reachyng it foorth to them he sayed This is the newe testament consecrated not with the bloud of a calfe or a goat but with mine owne bloude whiche is poured foorth for the redemyng and sauing of you ye haue nowe the highest token and pledge that can be of myne entier loue towardes you And in dede there ought to bee a like loue in you towardes me agayne but yet there is one here at the table emongest you who will betraye me into the handes of them whiche seke me vnto death Neither is all this doen by casualtie but it is so prefixed by the determinacion of God it is so foreshewed by the prophetes that the sonne of man should by suche a processe redeme mankynde Indede a good necessarie poynt of seruice it is that he doeth herein towardes the vniuersal redempciō of man but yet because he doeth it of a wicked minde thesame thyng shall in conclusion turne to his damnacion the whiche shal bee the instrumente of saluacion to others The determinacion of
sonne of man so often as thou speakest of him to be taken for thee thy selfe eyther shalt thou not dye or els that sonne of man is not Messias if the prophecie saye trueth Well because these sayinges were spoken of malice Iesus made no aunswere to them Uerely he myght haue aunswered that he was not only man but also God that he should of trueth die as concerning his natural mans body but yet so that it should so one rise againe nor yet should that death let the perpetuitie of his kingdome because it should not be worldly but a spirituall kyngdome But neyther did they vnderstande these misteries nor yet was there oportunitie to declare them openly He doeth onely councell them that setting aparte all blyndenesses of harte they would cease theyr crying out on the trueth that was come to light specially seyng that it should within a whyle be taken awaye Not that the light of the ghospell should euer be throughly abolished but that they should not after this heare of his owne mouthe his doctrine nor see hym worke any myracles whiche myght geue them sight to see theyr foly and repente them of it yet a lytle while sayeth he is the lyght with you Wherfore while ye haue this lyght walke ye and amende sith there is good cause leste the lyght being sodainly taken awaye darke night come on you and than ye desyre all in vayne the thing that is taken from you which nowe being offered vnto you ye doe contemne Whoso foloweth the blinde affeccions of his owne minde walketh in darkenesse and knoweth not whither he goeth and whiles he beleueth that he doeth wel and godly he falleth into death I am the lyght of the worlde whoso beleueth in me shall not erre or swarue from the trueth The children of darkenesse flyeth from the light while you therfore haue light beleue on the light that ye maye be seen the children of light He that beleueth seeth whoso beleueth not thesame hauyng syght is blinde These thynges spake Iesus and departed and hid hymselfe from them But though he had doen so many miracles before them yet beleued not they on him that the saying of the Prophete Esaias might be fulfilled whiche he spake Lorde who shall beleue our saying and to whom is the arme of the Lorde declared Iesus spake no more to them at that time leste he should the more prouoke the fury of them whom he knewe to be very prone vnto all mischiefe but he went thence and hidde himselfe from them and so would he through his absence and with silence assuage their cruell woodnes and there withall admonishing vs by the way that according to his exaumple as often as we haue to doe with wilful persones and that there is no hope to doe them good we than ought to geue place for a time leste not only we doe them no good at al but also make other the wurse For what is more to be lamented than the myndes of those Iewes For where as our Lorde Iesus through so many so cleare and so woonderfull miracles wrought before their iyes ought to haue brought them moste surely to haue beleued his sayinges yet dyd they stande stifly in their vnbeliefe no doubte but euen blinded with enuy hatred ambicion auarice and other vngraciouse concupiscence of the mynde And euen so Esai long ago dyd prophecie that some suche should be saying Lord who hath beleued our woordes and to whom is the arme of the Lord opened Uerily therfore they did not see the power of God in Iesus his doynges because beyng blynded with their malice they did not beleue Therfore coulde they not beleue because that Esaias sayeth agayne He hath blynded their iyes and hath hardened theyr harte that they should not see with theyr iyes and leste they shoulde vnderstande with their harte and shoulde de conuerted and I shoulde heale them Suche thinges sayed Esaias when he sawe his glorye and spake of hym Yea and they did not beleue because they would not caste awaye theyr naughtie desires And this also did Esai speake of before He hath sayth Esai blinded their iyes hardened their hartes that they should not see with their iyes and vnderstand with their hartes and should be conuerted and I shoud heale them For they seeyng did not see and vnderstanding did not vnderstand And contrarye to their owne saluacion they made all they could against him at whose hand alone saluaciō was to be hoped for These thīges tolde Esai long ago who beeyng spiritually inspired sawe with the iyes of prophecie the glory of the sonne of God whiche in tyme to come he should haue beyng a very man And he prophecied that he sawe and the thing which he prophecied should be haue we seen doen. Neuerthelesse among the chiefe rulers also many beleued on him but because of the Phariseis they would not be knowen of it leste they should be excommunicate for they loued the prayse of men more then the prayse of God Yet for al this these mens vnbelefe did not exclude the saluaciō of other that did beleue for many gaue faith to Iesus not only of the vulgar people but of the nobles also But neuerthelesse the men of wurship durst not confesse the faith openly for feare of the Phariseis whiche had made a decre that whosoeuer did confesse himselfe to be a disciple of Iesus should be excōmunicate thrust out of the Synagogue Ouer this those whiche haue preeminēce in the worlde ignominie irketh them much For as yet theyr faith was not stable perfite but notwithstanding that it was for that time a good beginning of an euāgelicall minde to thinke well of Iesus though feare shamefastnesse letted thē to shewe it furth Enuy stopped some couetousnes letted other othersome did ambicion hinder why they did not with an whole harte cleaue to Christ for whose sake all thynges are to be contemned But because the holye ghoste whiche corroborateth a man towardes the ghospell was not yet geuen many beleued fearfully as yet settyng more by mans glorie than Goddes To be hiely placed in the synagogue was honorable among men but to be reiecte out of the wicked mens synagogue for Christes sake is honour prayse before God But feare and infirmitie in men that be of nature weake soone obteineth forgeuenesse Howbeit those whiche were so blynded with eiuill desyres that with a wicked conscience they spake agaynst Christe turned awaye the people from him layed snares for hym and ouer that craftely sought his death it is nedefull I saye that those perishe because they would not bee saued Iesus cried and sayed he that beleueth on me beleueth not on me but on hym that sent me and he that seeth me seeth hym that sent me I am come a light into the world that whosoeuer beleueth on me shoulde not abide in darkenesse Another tyme agayne Iesus goyng abrode in the sight of the Iewes now when their fury ought to haue been well appeased the